Thailand

[Pure Fun]

I will be visiting a few islands in Thailand in December. I will be going to Koh Chang, Ko Max, & Koh Kood. Is the diving any better from one island to the other or are they similar? I’m interested in any information about these islands, dive shops people like and places to stay ect.. Thanks Jason

 

[Centrals]

I did few days of diving in Koh Chang few months ago(Mar), very very ordinary.
Do NOT go to the National Park for diving, more snorkellers than divers.
No idea on Koh Kood and Koh Mak.

 

[SimonAloha]

The Gulf of Thailand offers fantastic island hopping experiences where you can immerse yourself in the local culture and natural beauty. However, for diving enthusiasts, the Andaman Sea is renowned for its diversity and vibrant marine life.

From Khao Lak to Koh Lipe, including popular destinations like Phuket, Krabi, Phi Phi Islands, and Koh Lanta, you'll find some of the best diving spots in Thailand. Phuket, in particular, is a great base for diving, with numerous dive sites and professional dive operators.

For example, Aloha Diving in Phuket offers a range of diving experiences and packages. You can explore their offerings on their website: Scuba Diving in Phuket.

 

[Roberto Bonifacio]

I will be visiting a few islands in Thailand in December. I will be going to Koh Chang, Ko Max, & Koh Kood. Is the diving any better from one island to the other or are they similar? I’m interested in any information about these islands, dive shops people like and places to stay ect.. Thanks Jason

Hi ,
When you go to Koh Chang do not miss to dive the 2 wreck there, very cool dives.
About reef dives the best in my opinion are in Koh Kood.

BB Divers it's a good center with a good boat.

In case you came in Phuket this is my one

Or if you are looking for private or shared islands tour

 

[Centrals]

@Pure Fun
If your main reason is to explore the northern Gulf of Siam in Dec. There is nothing wrong with it as Koh Chang can be reached from Bangkok in few hrs by bus/ferry.
However, if your trip is mainly island hopping and scuba diving then I would suggest you ought to look some where else in the Kingdom.
BTW, I am NOT associated with any travel agent/dive operator etc. We are in the same boat.
Avoid Phuket except the airport and the two bus terminals(1 and 2).
My suggestion:
Dec will be extremely busy in the Kingdom.
1. Early flight to Phuket, airport bus(B100.00) to T1, check if there is public transport to Khao Lak otherwise you need to pay B15.00 for a relative cheap transfer(Pink Truck) to T2. Koh Lak is a far more laid back destination than Phuket and some diving operators will arrange speed boat daily transfer to dive Similan.

Khao Lak – Travel guide at Wikivoyage

en.wikivoyage.org

It was hit hard by the Tsunami in 2004.
2. Early flight to Krabi for Koh Lanta or Hat Yai for Koh Lipe. Transfer between the two islands is a bumpy 3hrs by speed boat. Diving out from Koh Lanta is quite expensive because of the travelling distance. Koh Lipe is tiny and for some reason attracts large number of backpacker. I have no problem with that as it is still my prefer way in travelling.
3. The daily dive boat out from Phuket in Dec should be extremely crowded.

 

[Leobendive]

I will be visiting a few islands in Thailand in December. I will be going to Koh Chang, Ko Max, & Koh Kood. Is the diving any better from one island to the other or are they similar? I’m interested in any information about these islands, dive shops people like and places to stay ect.. Thanks Jason

We did some dives on Koh Chang in Nov 2022. Diving was nice but nothing special. Reefs were quite healthy! The best dive was the wreck HTMS Chang. All operators we contacted there are doing 3 dives a day. In case you want to do only 2 dives, you would have to sit one out on the boat, so 3 dives a day for us have not been to Koh Max or Koh Kood